Veins of Black
by DeCipherTheMindscape
Summary: Prince Peppermint seems to have it all: a handsome fiancee, a kingdom to rule, magical abilities, and endless power in his grasp. However, such a life comes with a cost. Torn between benevolence and more familiar darkness, a horrible curse eats away at him from the inside out. Lies are exposed, friendships are shattered, and the future of Ooo is shaped in a way no one expected.
1. Lies

Dark clouds shrouded the faded autumn sky, casting a shadow on the Candy Kingdom. This was not new, however. Grey had been the normal color of the sky for the last two years.

Two figures sat on the tallest balcony, overlooking the buildings and forest below. "These tulips are coming along nicely," Braco said, digging his spade into the planter's moist soil, "Let's just hope it clears up a little more." He glanced up at the dreary landscape above him, taking off his floppy gardening hat.

"It hasn't cleared up for months," his partner mumbled, sitting on the edge of the railing and gazing out at his kingdom below. His midnight-black armor and cape provided stark contrast to his vividly white hair, red streaks running through it like blood in snow.

Braco frowned with one corner of his mouth and called out, "You really shouldn't sit on the edge of that."

Peppermint tilted his head in the other's direction and answered, "What do you mean?"

"You could fall," the brunette said with a shrug, carefully lowering a tulip bud into the hole he had just dug.

The prince mumbled, "Pssh," under his breath and stood on the fuchsia-colored bar, rocking back and forth on his heels. He then leaned backwards into a nearly perfect backbend, resting his gloved hands on the violet pavement and flipping backwards. He landed in a crouch and climbed to his feet, walking over to the smaller man.

He sat behind him, wrapping his legs around Braco's waist and his arms around the other's chest. "What…," Braco muttered with mock annoyance, a goofy grin creeping onto his features.

Peppermint buried his face into the crook of the younger's neck, kissing the soft skin. "Nothing," he answered, "Here." He reached a hand out to the freshly planted tulips, and in an instant, they bloomed into their fullest glory, petals reaching towards the heavens.

Braco smiled, turning his head and kissing the pale white skin of the other's cheek. "You didn't have to do that."

"Watch this," the prince added, resting his fingers on the petals of the flower in the very center of the rest. White threads snaked out from his fingers, encircling the tulip like a cocoon. When the fibers dissipated, the petals had changed colors into a dazzling array of red, white, yellow, and brown – the two's signature colors.

"Aww," the brunette said, "It's an 'us' tulip."

Peppermint grinned with sparkling white teeth, his pale blue eye glinting mischievously. The other was hidden by a black, curved eyepatch, fastened around his head by a thin leather strap.

The door to the balcony opened with an audible creak. The prince's expression turned cold as he muttered, "What."

"My liege," a cotton-candy colored gumdrop squeaked, sinking into a deep curtsy, "The Ice Prince has returned and requests you both."

The albino growled through his teeth, and Braco stole a worried glance at his partner's face. "Tell him to step off," Peppermint grumbled, tightening his grip on the smaller man and burying his face into his shoulder in a rather childish way.

"He refuses to leave until he's seen you two," the girl sputtered, wringing her hands in distress, "He's already frozen half the staff."

The prince threw his head back and groaned before unwinding himself from Braco, standing. "What a jerkwad," he muttered.

Braco stood, brushing some flecks of dirt from his clothing. "Why do I have to go?" he asked.

"You are my partner," Peppermint said, kissing one of the many sugar crystals buried in Braco's chestnut hair, "We are both responsible for royal matters."

Two marshmallows clothed in the attire of the royal staff rushed up to Braco's side, carrying a violet tunic and black cape. He nodded in thanks and donned the garments.

The two walked down the twisting halls of the palace, the corners cloaked in cobwebs and dust. The remnants of bloody pentagrams and magical symbols still rested on the dark purple wallpaper. Braco shivered. He had always gotten a bit freaked out by the palace's dark past and the traces of it that still remained. Meanwhile, Peppermint did not seem fazed one bit.

He pushed open the door to the throne room and main hall, finding the room in shambles. His attendants were frozen in enormous blocks of ice, and frost crept across the faded carpet. A lone figure sat in a wooden chair facing the two thrones.

Peppermint and Braco strode, side by side, to their respective thrones and sat. "Ice Prince," Peppermint said coldly as his remaining servants closed the door, "You have requested our company."

"Peps!" the immortal teenager said with an eerie grin. His gold crown, encrusted with dazzling rubies, glinted in the torchlight. His white-blond hair hung in wisps, most of it tucked up into his frost-covered hat. In his lap was a block of ice that held a dog, its eyes a mucus-colored green and toxic waste dripping from holes in its grey skin. "So nice of you to take our request," Finn chuckled, his pale blue eyes sunken and rimmed with dark circles.

"What do you want, Finn?" the prince asked firmly, narrowing the one eye that wasn't hidden by his bangs and eyepatch.

"What do we want?" the wizard repeated and giggled, "Oh, Prince Peppermint. You've always been so naïve."

Braco swallowed the lump in his throat as his partner growled, "You're avoiding the question."

"Oh, well, what we want is for you to keep your promise," Finn answered, drumming his fingers on the ice between his knees, "Remember that promise? Back when you drilled holes in my beautiful mountains for some stupid mineral?"

Peppermint glared, his fingers tightening on the obsidian armrests of his throne. "What was that mineral?" the Ice Prince asked, tapping his head in mock thought, "Oh, right. _Darkus midnite_ , only the most powerful of the dark elements." He grinned and whispered, "You said you had changed."

"I was claiming the stone so that it would not fall into the wrong hands," the candy prince retorted.

"As if!" Finn retaliated, "You built this kingdom out of a hub for dark wizards. You are one yourself, in fact, the most powerful of all of them. To create your perfect Candy Kingdom, you slaughtered every single one of your comrades, but you promised everyone that you would only do good from that moment on. I can see through your lies, Prince Peppermint."

His gaze swept over to Braco. "What about your little boy toy over there?" he questioned, "The one who can do no wrong, the one everyone considers to be so innocent and pure, pruning his flowers and baking cookies, blushing all the while. What would everyone think if they knew his story?"

"This matter does not concern him," Peppermint said, hatred blazing in his cold, icy eyes.

"Little Braco," Finn whimpered, ignoring the prince, "Poor little Braco, cursed since birth, limping into your arms and begging to be saved from the darkness inside of him. Braco, who was cleansed of darkness by darkness itself." He tapped his chin and mumbled, "Now, how does that work?"

Braco's blue eyes widened, his heart beating faster in his chest. Peppermint stood and roared, "You will leave my kingdom at once!"

"Not until you keep your promise," the other whispered, smirking.

The candy prince scowled and sat again. "All we want is one baby boy," the wizard said, climbing to his feet and hoisting up his dog, "You will keep your promise." With that final remark, he leaped off the ground, an icy wind carrying him out the window and into the horizon.

Peppermint sighed, glancing over at his partner, who was looking extremely tense. "Don't listen to him," he whispered, reaching his hand over to the brunette's, "Every word he says is a lie."

Braco intertwined his fingers into his prince's gloved ones. He sucked in a lungful of air and mumbled, "Do you think I could still be cursed?" His grip on Peppermint's hand tightened.

"Impossible," the albino replied, "I haven't seen any black veins on you since I performed the exorcism."

"Yeah, but, do you think there could still be a little bit inside me still?" Braco asked, "Like, that's being hidden away."

Peppermint furrowed his thin eyebrows and answered, "I don't know." He leaned over and kissed the tanner boy's smooth cheek. "If you're ever hurting, just tell me and I'll finish what I started."

Braco nodded, his face still fraught with worry. The prince climbed to his feet and waved his hand. The ice creeping along the floor instantly dissipated into mist. His attendants, once frozen, rubbed their heads and mumbled incoherently. "It's fine, everybody!" Peppermint announced to his distressed citizens, "I had a little squabble with the Ice Prince, nothing to fear." He snapped his fingers, and everyone soon found a warm blanket in their arms. The attendants and citizens mumbled thanks and hurried from the chamber.

The prince sank into his throne, carved of ruby and obsidian, and buried his head in his hands. "I'm so sick of this," he groaned, sinking downwards so that his head hung beneath his knees.

Braco rubbed his back and said, "Here, how about we head to bed. It's getting late, anyway."

"Can't. I've got a meeting with the council."

The brunette furrowed his brow and answered, "Don't stay up too late, okay?"

"I won't," Peppermint replied, planting a kiss on Braco's soft lips before exiting the room.

He hurriedly stepped down the winding hallways of the Candy Castle, formally the headquarters of the Dark Society for Warlocks and Magicians. Coming across a small door, he glanced around behind him before entering the alcove.

"You're late," a voice, loud and deep, echoed.

"I know, I know," Peppermint growled, picking up a heavy black cloak from the back of a high, curved chair and fastening it around his neck.

Four men, shrouded in robes, sat in a circle, a fireplace roaring behind them. Above the hearth was a tapestry bearing a dragon with a pentagram for an eye. The prince took the empty seat, not bothering to put his hood up like the rest of them.

"The meeting of the first company of the Dark Society for Warlocks and Magicians is now in session. First order of business," a man with gnarled hands and a wheezing voice rasped, "What to do with the _Darkus midnite_?"

"It obviously must be used for dark practice," a figure with a thick British accent piped up, "We could use it for practically anything we wish. The demons of the farthest reaches of the Nightosphere could be summoned, the darkest of curses inflicted."

"We must do something about the thousands of men who wish to reclaim the Candy Kingdom," a man with white gloves added, "Our enemies must be vanquished."

"I say we let our leader decide," one with red lace around his hood said, gesturing a thin hand towards Peppermint's direction.

The youngest of them shrugged, scratching the back of his head. "I dunno. Demons sound cool."

A silence fell over the group. "It's just as we feared," Gnarled Hands wheezed.

"What?" the prince asked, frowning in suspicion.

"That Braco has turned you soft!" the Brit said, slamming his fist into his armrest, "All of this business of you fawning over him has caused you to stray from your dark path."

"We watch you kiss and hug and nuzzle him," Red Lace muttered, "All of those are actions a dark prince must not engage in."

"In addition, do you remember where you met him?" White Gloves added, raising a hand, "It was the annual sacrificial ball. He had come to commit suicide and become a sacrifice, succumbing to the curse of Ogdoad that had been placed within his veins. The lad could hardly walk. And you, Prince Peppermint, chose to save him, while the rest of us would have spat at his feet. You took on his curse instead. We ask you why."

"He had hope," the albino hissed.

"Hope is not a word dark wizards must use," Red Lace retorted.

The dark prince beat his fist on the round coffee table in front of them, causing a large crack to run through the intricate insignia on the wood. The four surrounding him fell silent, freezing.

Black and red veins creeped from under the eyepatch Peppermint wore, encircling his face. His once steel-blue eye flashed a brilliant crimson. "Never question my judgement," he spat, "I chose what I chose. You can't change what I did. I can handle a petty curse from a low-life like Ogdoad." Even as he said this, however, a thin stream of blood trickled from his pale lips.

"Master!" Red Lace exclaimed, sitting the prince back down, "You must not overexert yourself."

Peppermint inhaled slowly, and the veins slowly withdrew themselves from his pale features. "I'm fine," he mumbled, wiping the red from his lip.

Gnarled Hands coughed and mumbled, "How about we change the topic?"

The others murmured in agreement, and the Brit said, "I agree with my comrade when I say that we should use the stone to vanquish our enemies."

"I will also agree with that," Peppermint muttered, leaning back in his throne and crossing his arms, "Unfortunately, you all are forgetting the issues here."

The four looked at him quizzically, and the prince clarified, "The Candy Kingdom is not at the center of Ooo. If we were to wipe out every single enemy of ours, we would have to find a spot in the exact center of the land so that the spell can broadcast evenly. In addition, we would need an incredibly specialized spell to target only those with ill intentions against us. Finally, it would seem awfully suspicious if all of a sudden every criminal or overlord dropped dead at the exact same time. The blame would naturally be pinned on me." He leaned forward once again and said, "I say we should build an impenetrable sphere around my land. One that keeps all enemies out."

"Yes, but imagine if somebody's mother-in-law is suddenly unable to visit her children," Gloves pointed out.

"Or, perhaps just spells that will cause any who wish to cause harm to us to develop a horrible stomachache or disease upon entering," Peppermint offered, "We could create a safe haven for do-gooders everywhere, while keeping out bad and keeping us safe."

"Would this spell of yours prevent our magic from escaping?" Red Lace asked.

"Of course not," the prince muttered.

The foursome glanced at each other and nodded. "We agree with that plan," Gnarled Hands said, intertwining his knobby fingers, "on one condition."

"What is that?"

"You must inform Braco about your dark ways," the Brit said, pointing a finger in his direction.

"What?!" he hissed, "Why?!"

"He cannot be in the dark any longer about all of this," he answered in his smooth accent, "How long do you expect to hide this from him? Tell him about everything you have done since you cleansed him. See if he truly loves you."

Peppermint scowled, glancing down at his feet. "Do we have a deal?" Red Lace asked.

The prince swallowed his pride and mumbled, "Yeah, yeah." In response to his words, the fireplace roared, the flames doubling in size before sinking back down again.

His comrades nodded, and Gnarled Hands rasped, "I declare this meeting officially over. Dismissed, gentleman." He and two others disappeared into puffs of smoke.

Only the prince and the man with the ivory gloves remained. "Remember your promise," the hooded gentleman said coolly, "You have two weeks." With that eerie remark, he vanished in a curling column of flame.

Peppermint sighed, rubbing his temple with his crimson-gloved hand. They had a point. He couldn't hide his past from his partner any longer. He couldn't feed him lies that he had only been at the Sacrificial Ball on a friend's request, and that he had always been a white wizard. After all, he was bearing Braco's curse upon him. He shouldn't have the weight of guilt added to his troubles.

He stood, removing his cloak and throwing it onto a chair. As he departed, he felt the chill of the fire's embers fading.

When he entered into his bedroom, Braco was awake, reading. The pale yellow-skinned gentleman closed his novel and said, "Hi."

"What are you doing awake?" Peppermint asked, unfastening the straps that bound his cape to his breastplate.

"Couldn't sleep," Braco mumbled, setting the book on his nightstand and climbing out of bed. He was clothed in pale lilac pajamas, a simple shirt and short combo.

The prince went through the painstaking process of undoing his complicated pieces of armor. "You could always get the staff to do that," the brunette said, helping him remove his knee-high leather boots.

"Nah. They're too lazy to come up here."

The other smiled and said, "They sure are."

Finally, Peppermint was stripped down only to his loose black pants, soft and velvety. He yawned, stretching his long, thin arms, and flopped down on the bed. "Aren't you going to change into pajamas?" Braco questioned, sitting on the plush comforter.

"Nope," the albino said, crossing his arms behind his head.

Braco smiled, rolling his eyes, and sat next to him. His sea-blue eyes flickered over Peppermint's perfectly toned figure, accented by rippling muscle. The prince opened his eye and smirked. "Like what you see?" he asked, wiggling his thin eyebrows.

The candy person blushed, a dusting of pink appearing on his cheeks. Peppermint reached over, grabbing the front of Braco's shirt and tugging him down next to him. The prince chuckled, wrapping an arm around the back of the brunette and pulling him close. "Why do you wear this?" Braco asked, reaching a finger up to the leather eyepatch covering Peppermint's right eye, "You've only worn it after you got rid of my curse. Is it because of me?"

The magician shrank back away from Braco's touch and smiled, saying, "Of course not. I've been losing my sight in that eye for years." It was only a half-lie. He had been going blind in that specific orb since he was only a couple hundred years old, and because of it, he had chosen to take the dark energy from Ogdoad's curse and store it in the socket.

Braco looked suspicious. "Don't worry," Peppermint whispered, "I got rid of every last bit of that energy. There's none of it left." He captured Braco's lips in a soft, passionate kiss and pulled the blanket over the both of them. "Get some shut-eye. We have that banquet tomorrow at noon."

"We _always_ have a banquet tomorrow at noon," Braco whined, sticking out his lip in a childish pout.

Peppermint sighed and said, "Tell you what. This Saturday, we'll spend an entire day together. No meetings, no galas, no nothing. How about that?"

"Are you sure you can afford the time off?" Braco asked, snuggling into the prince's pure white chest.

"Of course, I don't have anything planned that day. Now, Mr. Braco, you need to get some sleep." He snapped his pale, slender fingers, and the glowing orbs of light around the room extinguished themselves. The brunette smiled, sighing in content, and closed his eyes, his breathing soft.

Peppermint did not dare sleep until Braco was fully under. He trailed a finger over the other's forehead, mumbling an incantation under his breath. A white line glowed where his finger had once been, and to his shock, a black wisp of smoke escaped the opening.

"Impossible," he breathed, "I should've gotten rid of you."

He seized the creature in between his index finger and thumb, pulling it from his love's head. The writhing piece of dark energy was much bigger than he thought it was, about the size of his hand. "You were inside his head all along," he whispered, narrowing his eye, whose color resembled white in the glow.

He moved a hand up to his eyepatch and pulled it up to his forehead. A swirling mass of black and red resided where his eye once was, and the wisp in his fingers was tugged into it. The area pulsed painfully, and the prince swallowed a groan of pain. He quickly tugged down the patch and stumbled up out of his bed.

He had only just made it to the bathroom when a large spurt of blood oozed from his lips. He coughed, and the color of his fluid turned a deep black. The liquid dripped into the ivory sink, staining the stone.

He withdrew a shaky breath, his legs trembling. This monster was not strong enough to overpower him. He wiped off the red and black trickling from his mouth and swallowed the remaining bile. His eye scorched like fire, but it was nothing compared to what he had felt during his life in the Nightosphere.

The pain made him consider why he had saved the frail man. The answer seemed simple to him: he had been at the ball, enjoying a glass of wine. Out of the corner of his eye, he had spotted the boy stumbling into the room, pulsing black veins covering his face and arms. He had limped up to Peppermint, wincing as if every step hurt, and stammered, "Is this…is this wh-where the sacrifices go?"

"Who are you?" the albino had asked.

"My n-name is Braco," he had answered, coughing into his hand.

"Are you an official sacrifice?"

The man shook his head, clutching his cranium in horrible pain. Peppermint's eyes had widened, and in the very depths of his black heart, knowing nothing but the joy of suffering and misery, he felt a twinge of warmth.

He had rested a hand on Braco's thin shoulder and whispered, "Meet me outside."

Peppermint's heart, of course, remained dark, but the light of Braco's love had consumed half of the blackness. He rested his hand on the marble and glanced up at his reflection. He looked like death (well, actually, he didn't. Death was one of his good friends, and the prince certainly did not have a skull for a head). The omnipresent dark rings under his eyes seemed even darker than usual.

He composed himself, taking a few even breaths before daring to return to bed. He crawled under the covers, pulling the smaller man to his chest and burying his face into Braco's chestnut, close-cropped hair. He smelled like bananas and strawberries. "I love you, Braco," he mumbled, "Please never forget that." His eye closed, and he drifted into a restless, nightmare-plagued slumber.

* * *

 **Let's clarify now, shall we?**

 **This AU is based off the episodes "Finn the Human" and "Jake the Dog", where Finn becomes possessed by the Ice Crown and Jake by the Lich. I had this crazy idea about Peppermint Butler being the ruler of the Candy Kingdom, and what Ooo might've become if Jake hadn't wished to change the Lich's wish. I also ship Rock Candy (Peps x Braco) like nobody's business, so...**

 **Thanks for sticking through with me and this crazy fanfiction! Expect much more drama.**


	2. Deception

"Citizens of Ooo!" he proclaimed, raising his wine glass in front of him.

The hundreds of people milling about the room and tables lowered their voices to the occasional whisper, turning in his direction. "On behalf of the Candy Kingdom, I welcome you to the Fifth Annual Cross-Kingdom Banquet," the prince said, beaming from ear to ear, "Please, enjoy yourselves. Lunch will be served in around ten minutes."

The crowd's volume slowly increased again, and the focus drifted from the man at the front of the room.

Peppermint exhaled softly and muttered, "How did I do?"

"Great," Braco said, "That outfit looks great on you, too."

The albino glanced down at his clothing. He was wearing a navy blue tuxedo and his trademark crimson gloves, a red bowtie tied around his neck. His hair was slightly neater than usual and tucked into a small ponytail on the back of his head, red paint creating small, peppermint-like swirls on his left cheek. "I feel like a butler," he mumbled, looking down at his cherry-red shoes and adjusting his stiff collar, "I would've preferred a cape."

"We can't always wear capes," the brunette said, playfully narrowing his eyes. He was clothed in a similar outfit: a white dress shirt and long, red tie, navy blue pants and red shoes. "Come on, let's go sit down."

The two walked down the violet-colored steps to their table, which was exceptionally long and packed with nobles. Because they were the hosts, they had the privilege of sitting in the exact center of the wood. "Well, if it isn't Prince Peppermint?" a woman with raven-black feathers for hair chirped.

"Hi, Raven Princess," he mumbled, smiling and waving his hand rather awkwardly.

"I love what you've done with the place," she said, smoothing out the folds of her elegant black gown, "Very lovely indeed." Her gaze lilted to the man sitting next to the prince. "And this must be Braco."

"Hi," the brunette squeaked.

"Are you two married?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"Uh, no," Peppermint said, rubbing the back of his head, "We're not. We're engaged, but we don't really have time for a wedding quite yet." Braco lifted his hand to show off his simple engagement ring, which was silver and intricately carved.

"How exciting," Raven Princess said, clapping her hands together. Her long, frosted eyelashes batted together. "We've never had two kings from one kingdom before."

"That's because everyone's too old-fashioned," Peppermint whispered under his breath.

"And how about your eye?" she asked, tilting her head in a rather bird-like fashion, "It must be horrible to not be able to see."

"It's not that bad," the prince said, shrugging, "I was growing blind for years. I'm used to it."

Right as he finished that statement, a flurry of marshmallows burst from the kitchen doors, carrying large platters of food. Peppermint crossed his fingers and hoped that none of the meal would spill.

Thankfully (and to his surprise), the food made it safely to the tables. The guests dug into roasted chicken and steak, steamed vegetables, and for a beverage, peppermint tea. When the pitcher of the liquid was set in front of him, Peppermint instantly began to sweat. "What's wrong?" Braco asked, taking a long sip of his glass.

"The tea's peppermint," he mumbled.

Braco's eyes widened, and he snickered under his breath. "Hope you don't mind if I have some more," he said, the syllables rolling off his tongue. He poured himself another large glass and took his sweet time lapping up every last drop. The prince's eye imperceptibly twitched.

He leaned over and whispered in the other's ear, "After this, you, me, hallway behind the kitchen." The yellow-skinned man blushed, and Raven Princess chuckled.

The meal went by quickly and was rather uneventful. It was only during the final course of cotton candy ice cream that something went wrong.

Peppermint was minding his own business, savoring the taste and wondering if the cotton candy citizens of the kingdom tasted like this. From out of the blue, he felt a hand around his mouth. He looked down and found nothing covering his lips. "Stand up and calmly walk out of the room," a woman's voice rasped.

The prince stood, and Braco raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. "Where are you going?"

"Uh…bathroom," he replied, walking up the stairs and out into the hallway.

An old woman materialized in front of him, her shaggy black hair hanging past her feet. "What have you done, stupid boy?!" she hissed, the wrinkles on her face multiplying as she scowled.

"Lay off, hag," he spat, narrowing his eye.

"You've angered the Ice Prince!" she whispered, "He's been wreaking havoc on the entire land.

Something must be done!"

"Not my problem," he replied, stubbornly crossing his arms.

"I remember you when you lived in the Nightosphere," she muttered, "You stuck out like a sore thumb, one of the only humanoids around. You were number one on the most wanted list for your use of black magic and trickery. Everything you ever did always had your name written all over it, like you were taunting everybody else.. Now, this problem just reeks of your work!"

"And how do you know about my life in the Nightosphere?" he asked defensively.

"After the Lich was recreated and after that infernal wretch stole Simon's crown, I retreated back to my father's realm."

"Right, Hunson Abadeer. I thought he was overthrown a couple thousand years ago," Peppermint mumbled.

Marceline narrowed her beady, coal black eyes. "Just get rid of the Ice Prince," she spat, morphing into an ugly, grizzled bat and flying out the window.

Peppermint frowned and returned to his seat, crossing his arms once again. "What's up?" Braco asked.

"Oh, nothing," he replied. The prince waved his hand, and a piece of paper appeared in the other's lap.

On it was the inscription "Just Marceline – she wants me to get rid of the Ice Prince."

Braco ever so subtly nodded. Finally, the guests had departed. Peppermint waved his hand, and the illusion of the room disappeared. The candy-colored walls faded into a grey, the chandelier growing cobwebs, and the twin thrones morphing from pink into black. "That must've been a lot of work keeping that illusion up," Braco muttered, loosening his tie.

"It was," Peppermint replied, taking off his bowtie and stuffing it into his pocket, "but we can't let anyone see that we haven't changed much since the Dark Days."

He lightly touched his eye, knowing that all the good magic he was doing was just further angering the raging curse inside of him. If he did some wicked for the first time in months, he may be able to subside the dark energy.

He felt hands wrapping around his waist, and soon Braco's head was on his shoulder. "So, about that whole 'hallway behind the kitchen' promise?" he whispered.

Peppermint grinned, turning and picking the brunette up bridal-style. "I never forget a promise," he chuckled and dashed through the double doors.

* * *

He soared through the sky on large, leathery wings, black as midnight. His body was shrouded by a black cloak, leaving only half of his face visible. He stuck out like a sore thumb against the smoke-colored sky, but no one would question his intentions. There was too much sneaking around in the kingdom for anyone to really care.

He touched down on the snow-covered ground, gazing up at the icy mountains above. He strained his ultra-sensitive ears for any sound. There was nothing except the soft breathing of the wizard, asleep in his bed. Peppermint grinned, looking ahead at the black opening that was chipped into the side of the mountain.

His eye glowed an electric green as he stepped into the cavern, his wings fading into black smoke. His shoes clicked against the stone ground, his path illuminated by his magical eye.

A faint glow awaited him at the end of the hall, a dark red shade. He approached the color, finding a small block of glowing stone. "I knew I didn't get all of it," he whispered, reaching for the gem.

However, the instant his gloved hand rested on the Darkus midnite, a horrible burning sensation shot through his entire body. He hissed, his eye glowing a green and black and contorting into a shape that resembled Marceline's while she was in bat form.

He tugged off his crimson glove and found black veins creeping down his fingers. When he touched his face, he felt similar ones receding into his eyepatch. The curse is retaliating against the midnite, he thought to himself, Why?

He tugged a thick leather glove from his pocket and pulled it over his tingling hand. When he reached out for the stone once again, he only felt a mild sensation dancing across his arm.

"Something wrong, Peps?"

The magician whirled around and found Finn standing in the center of the walkway, blocking his path out. "What are you doing here?" he snarled, turning his glove inside out and encasing the gem inside the fabric.

"I'm waiting for my end of the deal," he said, sitting. He put his dog into his lap and rested his arms on it, setting his chin on his forearms.

"I'm working on that," Peppermint answered coldly, narrowing his eye, still a vibrant green.

The Ice Prince smirked, tilting his head. "Look at you," he said in a sing-song voice, "Your creepy glowing eye, black cloak, those nasty veins on your face. Sneaking out of the castle while your boytoy's back is turned, stealing the darkest element in Ooo. You almost resemble your old self."

"The only difference between who I am now and who I was then is that now I have Braco," the prince muttered, pocketing the midnite into his leather satchel.

"No, there is more than that," Finn said, shrugging, "I'm glad to see that you're finally embracing your dark side once again. I missed that part of you." He adjusted his sitting position and sighed, "Onto other matters. Do you have what you promised?"

"I already told you. It's nearly impossible to find children like you requested. 'Human' boys, as you called them. The species is nearly extinct," Peppermint returned.

"Why can't you just use your magic?"

"I've never seen a human before."

"I'm h…," Finn began, his voice trailing off at the end. His face fell, and he glanced down at his feet.

"You are…were?" Peppermint asked.

"Yeah," Finn mumbled, his face darkening, "What about it? I'm happier now. The power of frost has given me happiness." He didn't sound completely truthful, though. His voice wavered, and his fingers drummed furiously on the ice.

"Why do you want a human child?" the prince asked, taking a step forward in his direction. Now that he knew the wizard's weakness, he wasn't so wary anymore.

Finn showed a rare emotion on his icy cyan face for a split second: fear. "Reasons."

"Ice Prince," Peppermint asked, shadows shrouding his face, "Are you planning what I think you're planning?"

"What do you think I'm planning?"

"To become human again."

Finn's faded, milky eyes widened. "You're not as clever as you think you are, Prince Peppermint," he whispered, barely audible. Then, he closed his fist and opened it again, blowing a large gust of snow and ice from his palm. The prince growled, shielding his eye from the onslaught of blizzard-worthy frozen fractals.

When it was safe to open his eye, the Ice Prince had disappeared. The albino frowned and touched a hand to his eyepatch. Despite his best efforts, he was retreating back into the man he was before.

By the time he had returned to the castle, the sun was low on the horizon. He slipped through the window of his bedroom (who needed doors anyway?), glancing around for Braco. "I'm in here!" his partner called out from the bathroom, somehow detecting that the prince had entered.

Peppermint poked his head in, covering up his eye. "Can I peek?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

He removed his hand and found Braco up to his shoulders in a bubble bath. The brunette wagged his eyebrows. "Hel-LO," the prince mumbled under his breath.

"How was your meeting with the Swamp Kingdom?" the smaller man asked, swimming up to the side of the tub (which was the size of a small pool) and resting his forearms on the obsidian edge.

"Fine," the prince lied, stripping off his heavy armor and cloak.

Braco smiled, his cheeks a pale pink. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Peppermint answered. Another fib. His face was burning like fire from the seventh gate of the Nightosphere.

The blue-eyed man frowned, cocking a thin eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course." Peppermint smiled warmly, leaning over and giving the other a quick peck on the forehead.

The brunette giggled. "Your mouth is gonna taste like soap."

"What if I like the taste of soap?" the prince shot back teasingly, sticking out his tongue and winking.

"Shut up," Braco chuckled, reaching up and pulling him into a soft kiss.

They parted slowly, and Braco brushed aside a stray lock of red hair from his love's face. "You can tell me anything, you know."

"I know," the albino whispered, "I've never hid anything from you."

His lies scorched his insides more than the curse ever could.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Sorry for the short chapter - the story starts for real next part!**

 **I was about to forget about this story, but the overwhelming support from all of you inspired me to continue!**

 **Expect Chapter 3 to come soon.**

 **\- Ci**


	3. Struggle

"Have any threes to spare?"

"Go fish."

The man growled, extending a shriveled hand to the center of the table, picking up a bright pink playing card. Peppermint sighed and muttered, "You all stink at this game."

"Shut up," they answered in unison.

The prince frowned, narrowing his eyes and hissing to the hooded man on his left, "Got any fours?"

The figure swore under his breath and whipped out two cards from his gloved hand, forking them over to his leader.

Peppermint yawned, slapping his cards on the wooden table and causing everyone around it to jump with fright. "I win," he mumbled, sounding bored out of his mind.

"That's the third straight win in a row," another piped up in a thick British accent, "You must be cheating."

"How can you cheat at Go Fish?" Peppermint asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fair point," a comrade of his with a red-laced hood said with a shrug.

The albino stood, stretching out his arms. "This is getting boring. I'm gonna head out." He whipped off his cloak, dropping it on his armchair.

"Wait," Red Lace said suddenly, "Have you told him yet?"

"Told who what?"

"Braco," they all said at once.

Peppermint frowned, furrowing his brow and flashing his teeth in a snarl. "Don't rush me," he spat, his face shadowed and giving off a dangerous vibe.

"You promised. It's been four days already," the Brit said, his voice wavering ever so slightly, "You have ten left."

"Shut up," he snapped, stalking out of the room. Before closing the door, however, he leaned in and said, "By the way, next Tuesday, we're playing War."

He slammed the door, running a hand through his hair and seizing a fistful of it. It seemed that every day the pounding and burning inside his eye worsened. No matter how many numbing spells he cast, it would always return after mere minutes.

He sank down against the wall, resting on the floor and groaning. He had to find a way to suppress the curse, or it would tear him apart. For such a low-caliber demon like Ogdoad, he really could cast a horrible spell.

He climbed to his feet and composed himself. There was much he had to do: plan tomorrow's date with Braco, order the kitchen staff to get off their butts and cook dinner, get the maids into gear and tell them to clean his room, get rid of the goat corpses they had used for the sacrifices earlier that morning…

Wait.

That was it.

He froze, his eye widening. What if...instead of trying to suppress the curse...he transferred it into someone else?

A grin alighted his pale features, and a mischievous chuckle escaped his lips. If he found another organism to pass the curse into, he would be free of his suffering and Braco would always be safe.

Plans whirled through his mind as he hurried down the hall, his footsteps growing faster and faster. He had to hide it from his precious fiancee, but if he did the job quickly, he would have nothing to hide. Well, besides his evil ways.

He entered his bedroom and immediately stopped in his tracks. Braco was still asleep, breathing softly and wrapped in the comforters like a cocoon. Peppermint smiled, slipping into the room and quietly closing the door.

He, as silently as possible, took off his heavy robes and cape, setting them on his desk. Once he was left in a tank top and shorts, he crawled onto the bed, laying down next to the brunette. The sugar crystals buried in Braco's hair were glinting in the morning light.

The yellow-skinned boy stirred, smiling and sleepily mumbling, "Hi, babe."

"Hello, darling," Peppermint replied, running a hand through the other's hair, "Sleep well?"

"Mmm," Braco replied simply, nudging his head into the other's touch, "I'm still drowsy."

"You're adorable, you know that?"

"Pssh," the other answered, playfully pushing away the other's chest. The albino chuckled, grinning from ear to ear, and pulled in the other to give him multitudes of kisses on the neck. The smaller man giggled and said, "Your lips are cold."

Peppermint's lips migrated from the crook of Braco's neck up to his forehead. "You're just super warm," he replied, smiling against the other's soft skin.

The blue-eyed man wrapped his arms around the other's milky white shoulders, his eyelids fluttering closed. "You always wake up way too early," he whispered, "This bed's pretty big for one person."

"Well, we'll sleep in as long as we want tomorrow," the prince responded.

Then, Braco stiffened. He sat up quickly. "What?" Peppermint asked, sitting up as well. If Braco was tense, something was wrong.

"I hear something," he muttered in reply, rolling out of bed and walking to the center of the room. He then faltered, staggering around and repeating over and over, "Head rush. Head rush. Head rush."

"Don't hurt yourself," Peppermint chuckled.

They fell silent, and sure enough, Peppermint heard a quiet tapping sound coming from the window. Braco moved slowly towards it and opened the curtains with snail-like speed. He then paused. "There's nothing out here," he mused, scratching his head.

"Could've been a bird or something," the prince yawned in reply.

To shock him out of his wits, there was the sound of shattering glass. Braco screeched at the top of his lungs, flying backwards to his dresser, from which he instantly pulled out a knife. Peppermint had no time to be proud of the fact that the brunette had used the birthday present he had given him. He launched himself out of bed, summoning two balls of blue flame that hovered dangerously above his palms.

A cloaked figure climbed in through the window, closing the curtains behind him. The two fiancees didn't move a muscle as the stranger pulled off his hood, revealing disgustingly teal-green skin and bandages covering half of his face. He slipped on a wide-brimmed hat and hissed in a low, grating voice, "Are you Prince Peppermint of the Seventh Nightospheric Council?"

"I renounced that title years ago," the albino answered coolly.

The other man smiled, looking as if the gesture was incredibly difficult. He stooped to one knee and said, "It is a pleasure."

Peppermint narrowed his eye, hearing the sarcasm and resent that tinted the other's words.

"My name is Peace Master," the man garbed in gray said, looking up at the other with one bloodshot eye. He glanced over at Braco, who was holding his blade with the skill of a swordsman. "This must be Braco," he purred. The brunette stiffened, his ocean-blue eyes blazing and heart racing.

The one called Peace Master chuckled sinisterly. "Your business undoubtedly concerns me," the prince said with unwavering voice, "What is it you came here for?"

"Honestly, my prince, couldn't you put on some proper attire first?"

The ivory-haired man's crimson orbs flickered down at his boxers and tank top, and he scowled. "If your matter is so pressing that you must ascend seven stories and break my window, then you will be fine with my clothing," he answered.

"Your guards said that they had sent for you, but I waited outside for an hour," Peace Master hissed, "When I looked inside a window, they were playing poker."

Peppermint rolled his eyes. "Forgive my servants."

"Gladly. Anyway," the green-skinned man mumbled, standing. He towered over the prince, at least a foot taller (and Peppermint was tall). "I have a proposition for you, Mr. Peppermint."

The albino cocked an eyebrow questioningly. "A proposition?"

"Yes, and really, everyone would benefit from it."

"Go on."

"You and your fiancee pack your bags and get out of this realm."

Braco growled, and the pale-skinned man's balls of flame expanded with a loud _whoosh_. "Surprised?" the broad-chested figure chuckled, "Well, you shouldn't have been. Ooo has been suffering ever since you came to power. This building was supposed to be burned to cinders for what purpose it served. You yourself lived here."

Braco's head turned in his love's direction, and he appeared confused. "What? You lived here? I thought you said you lived in the forest."

Quick as a flash, Peppermint conjured a sphere of purple mist, which he threw at his love's head. The blue-eyed man opened his mouth in protest before dropping onto the bed, fast asleep. "Sorry," the other muttered sheepishly.

Peace Master laughed, sounding like he was wheezing. "Oh, that's right! You haven't told him anything."

"Shut up," Peppermint spat, firing a tongue of flame at the taller's head. The green-skinned man stopped it with a shield of green light, which was emblazoned with a black crow.

The prince's jaw dropped. "That's the-"

He was interrupted by a counterattack: a large mound of green goop fired at his feet. He jumped up, but was not quick enough, and the gunk ensnared his calves. Peace Master instantly added two identical globs to the prince's fists, rendering him powerless. Peppermint loudly hissed a few choice words as his foe strutted casually towards him,grinning in triumph. "I'm sure you know what that is," the other wizard said coolly.

Peppermint stopped his struggling to flash a cocky smirk. "Sapping Sucker Ooze," he answered, "It drains power from an individual, and after the victim is dead or barely alive, the caster and user can retrieve the energy from the goop."

"Very good," Peace Master said, "And I'm sure you know what will happen."

"Of course," responded the younger, "but it's not what you think." With a seemingly effortless flick of his wrists, the sap melted off him like candle wax, puddling like water at his feet. To finish it off, he snapped his fingers and set it aflame. It evaporated almost instantly into a foul-smelling gas and spray of green sparks.

"Very good," his opponent mumbled, obviously surprised, "but you're obviously not what you used to be."

Peppermint growled, knowing he couldn't hide the sheen of sweat over his skin or his panting.

The caster looked quizzically at his face. "What are those ugly black veins?"

The prince groaned under his breath, feeling the curse snake over his other eye and forehead. "Wait, no. Don't tell me. I'll guess," Peace Master said, holding out a hand to shush him, "Ogdoad's curse."

"You obviously did some research," Peppermint muttered.

"But of course. I'm not one to go into a fight blind."

"Listen. I'm not feeling like a fight today," the red-and-white haired man said, "How about we discuss this later?"

"That's not what I had in-"

Before the other could finish replying, Peppermint had blasted him out of the window with an incredibly focused beam of red light, sending the other flying back hundreds of miles out of the castle. When he couldn't see his challenger anymore, he stopped his blast. With a wave of his hand, fixed the hole he had made in the wall and repaired the window.

His knees were trembling, and his entire body ached as if he had been in a brutal fistfight. With a groan, he waved his hand, waking Braco up, and sank to his knees, covering his black-covered face in his hands.

The brunette groggily sat up, shaking his head, before noticing the pale man lying, gasping, on the floor. "Oh my Gog, Peppermint!" he cried out, rushing to the other's side.

"I'm fine," the other wheezed.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't quick enough, and...and he knocked me out," Braco mumbled, then paused. "Is your face okay?"

"Yeah," the prince answered half-heartedly.

"It's not." The brunette moved his hands to the other's wrists, lightly tugging. When they didn't move, he forcefully tore them apart, holding them down. He gasped. "Oh my Gog. Is that…"

"Braco, I'm fine," Peppermint muttered, feeling the veins crawling down to his neck and collarbone. The curse was taking advantage of his weakness.

"You should have never taken the curse from me!" Braco screamed, showing a rare moment of complete fury and horror, "Look what it's done to you. All that time saying that it's all fine, and that you got rid of it, you were lying!"

"Braco…"

"No! Stop. Just stop." The man's eyes were blazing, pricked with the beginnings of hot, angry tears. "I don't want to hear it. You're suffering because of me."

"Braco…," Peppermint began again, looping his fingers with the other's, "I'm fine. This would've torn you apart, I can handle it. Don't worry about me."

"Shut up," Braco hissed, standing and swiftly picking his fiancee up, half-placing, half-throwing him on the bed. Peppermint winced as the brunette snapped, "Get some rest. I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Wait-!" the albino called out, hearing the door slam. He slowly pulled himself to an upright position, then coughed, a dribble of blood trailing down from his lips. He raised a pale hand shakily to his face, a glowing light emerging from his palm. The magic seared through his insides, and he bit his lip as he slowly but surely began suppressing the dark force.

After what felt like hours, the veins finally retreated behind his eyepatch, and he collapsed backwards on the plush comforter, covering his eyes with his forearm. His vision slowly faded, and he fell asleep to a sinister whispering in his ears.

 _Braco._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **I just really wanted to include Peace Master in this story. After all, he is Peppermint Butler's "Nemesis".**

 **My friend described Peppermint as the kind of guy who would "lovingly put his hand on your cheek, then slap it - hard - and stare you down, then snap his fingers sassily and strut away to go sit on Braco's lap". I agree with this.**

 **Could it be that Braco isn't as pure of a cinnamon roll as we thought?**

 **Thanks for all your love and reviews, and thanks to those who follow this story! If there's anything that you think would make the story better, _please_ tell me. I would love to hear your feedback.**

 **\- Ci**


	4. Confession

"I'm so happy that you two decided to visit us today!"

Peppermint nodded, glancing over at Braco. His crystal-blue eyes were completely focused on the floor, his jaw set in tension. He refused to meet the other's gaze.

Finn grinned. "Someone's angry."

"My partner and I had a little argument a few days ago," the prince mumbled, "Let's focus on the topic at hand, shall we?"

"Of course," the ice wizard said, kicking back in his icy throne and propping his feet up on the table. His frozen dog sat next to him, its eyes a dull chartreuse and his skin a disgusting orange-brown. Its mouth was open, incisors bared, as if about to take a chomp out of something, and radioactive slobber oozed from its jaws.

Peppermint, unnerved by the canine, removed a small slip of paper from his crimson jacket, setting it on the frost-covered table. "I believe I have found a place retrieve a human for you. It's farther on the outskirts of Ooo."

"Ooh, I know that place!" Finn exclaimed, pointing to the gray island of interest on the left of the map.

"Yes, Sanctum Island. It's a famous black market that has nearly everything you could ask for. I've managed to contact some people that may be able to buy a human for you."

The Ice Prince clapped his hands joyfully, his Cheshire-like grin growing nearly impossibly wide. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!" he said happily, "Thank you very much!"

Peppermint just slightly smiled. "However, there's a catch."

"Yes? What?"

"First of all, this is very expensive. More expensive than the entire stash of _Darkus midnite_ in your kingdom. I will require sufficient payment."

"Of course. What else?"

"It's a girl."

Finn paused, his face contorting into one of confusion. "Excuse me?"

"The human is a girl, and it's the only one available."

"There are no boys?"

"Unfortunately not."

Finn growled, rubbing his temple. "That sucks."

Peppermint frowned, shrugging. "Considering the circumstances, at least you got a human." He heard a small sound from his right, and turned to find Braco shivering with chattering teeth. "Are you cold?" he asked.

The brunette shot him a look that was colder than the air in the room, pulling out a jacket and wrapping it around himself, looking back to the floor. The albino's face fell.

"Well, no matter. I will pay you back in any way you wish," Finn said suddenly.

"Excellent."

The wizard chuckled darkly. "I know that look, Prince Peppermint."

"Do you now?"

"Yes, I do. You want something either illegal or forbidden."

"I can get anything illegal or forbidden I want. Actually, all I want is your help with something."

"Something illegal or forbidden?"

"No, something magical."

Finn leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands. "Go on."

"My eye has been hurting me terribly," Peppermint said, touching a finger to his eyepatch, "I know of a spell that could soothe my pain. All I need is a bit of your ice magic."

"Really? Just a bit?"

"Yes. There is a certain healing incantation that requires wizard-created ice. Hopefully, I can retrieve the other ingredients as well and get rid of this stupid headache."

He felt a sharp kick to his shin and stifled a yelp of pain. When he looked over at Braco, the smaller man was giving him a look of disdain and anger. Peppermint chuckled nervously under his breath, remembering that his fiancee could now see through his lies.

"Of course. We know you must be suffering," Finn chuckled, patting the frozen bulldog on the table.

The prince flashed a strained smile, rubbing his throbbing ankle. "I will set out tomorrow to retrieve the human girl."

"Wonderful! Would it be too much to ask for it by this Friday?"

"Of course not."

Finn smiled, standing in unison with the other wizard. The two firmly shook hands. With a final nod, the two candy princes departed from the ice mountain.

The silence walking down the slippery path was almost unbearable for Peppermint. "I'm sorry for lying," he finally mumbled.

"Wow. That took you three whole days," Braco hissed, the tip of his nose a pale blue with cold.

"I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to be worried about me," the albino added, hugging his arms into his chest. It was _really_ cold, and he grew up in the section of the Nightosphere where they tortured people by freezing them to the brink of death. "I can handle a stupid curse. Ogdoad is a weakling."

"You say that, and then I find you on the floor, bleeding from the mouth, covered in the veins that nearly killed me," the brunette responded, his voice wavering. He sounded like he was about to cry.

"Braco," Peppermint whispered, setting a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"You reminded me of myself, okay?" Braco choked out, "How I felt back then. I don't want you going through that."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Too late," the man with sugar crystals in his hair snapped, turning his head away from the other. Peppermint opened his mouth as if to say something, then wisely closed it.

When they finally reached the base of the jagged, icy landform, a carriage was waiting. The two climbed in, resting on the plush seats as the wooden contraption rattled off, moved by two enormous black stallions.

"I trust that you'll look after the kingdom while I'm gone," the albino muttered, resting his chin in his hand.

"I'm coming with you to Sanctum."

If the prince had been drinking water, he probably would've spit-taked all over his fiancee's face. "Excuse me?!"

"I'm coming with you," Braco muttered, crossing his arms and legs, the look on his face making _him_ appear to be the dark wizard, and Peppermint the innocent, weak one.

"You're not coming with me."

"I've already made up my mind."

"You can't go there."

"Too late, already decided."

"Who will watch the kingdom?"

"I've asked Cinnamon Bun."

Peppermint groaned. "I admit that he may be the best choice for the job, but it's simply too dangerous for you."

"You can't even walk for thirty minutes straight without passing out."

"You don't have magic."

"I have a sword."

Their eyes locked, red and blue clashing ferociously. After a tediously long pause, the red and white-haired wizard sighed loudly and hissed, "Fine."

"Glad we came to an agreement," Braco answered, his gaze moving to the carriage window.

Peppermint growled under his breath, sounding almost animal-like, and set his chin in his hand. It was going to be a long journey.

* * *

"Welcome to Sanctum Island," Peppermint muttered, his words tinged with sarcastic cheer.

The scene around the two looked like something out of a dystopia. Murky grey clouds covered the sky, and the street they stood on was paved with mismatched cobblestones, some sticking out of the ground at awkward angles. Lining the crooked pathway were a multitude of black tents, filled with merchants and shoppers. Despite the foreboding atmosphere, the area was stuffed to the gills with people.

Peppermint was wrapped in a black cloak, his hair pulled into a ponytail. Braco, on the other hand, was wearing a violet cape. "Where's the person selling the human?" the brunette asked, grimacing as a horde of tiny children rushed by, smacking him aside.

"At the end," Peppermint replied, scratching the back of his scalp. The tension between him and his fiancee wasn't as thick anymore, but nonetheless, it still was there.

The trek to the island was not the most pleasant. Peppermint had to push himself to not appear exhausted, feeling Braco's ever-watching gaze on him. If he appeared to be burned out at all, or if he showed any pain radiating from his eye, he knew that his fiancee would never let him hear the end of it. He had to show the brunette that he could have traveled here by himself.

They walked through the crowd like salmon swimming upstream, fighting the large clumps and mobs of people blocking their path. A group of girls were sitting on a street corner, all wearing form-fitting clothing and sporting green skin and purple hair. "Hey, hotties!" one called, waving her bottle of soda in their direction,

The princes stopped, glancing over at the two. "Us?" Peppermint questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Nice hair!" the woman giggled.

"Bet you two look reallll good underneath those cloaks!" another shouted.

Braco frowned, a light pink dusting his yellow-tinted cheeks. He moved to depart until Peppermint grabbed his arm. "Follow my lead," the albino whispered quickly, walking over to the gaggle of girls and saying, "Do you happen to know where we could find 'Adam?'"

The women fell silent, then chuckled in unison. "Right this way," a taller woman said, and the group stood up, beckoning the two into the tavern across the street.

"Who's Adam?" Braco asked, but Peppermint had his lips sealed.

When they entered the building, they were surprised to find it nearly empty. Their guides led them into a back room, which was empty, save for them and the two guests.

To Braco's shock, the girls grouped into a tight huddle, and a green ooze suddenly enveloped them, erupting like a geyser. When the goop disappeared, one woman was standing in their place. She was at least nine feet tall, with blue hair and pale white skin. "So nice of you to visit again, Peppermint," she said with a smirk.

The prince bowed, grinning. "The lovely Avedelis."

"I haven't seen you since you left the Nightosphere. What was that, a century ago?" she chuckled, stepping over to the corner of the room and tracing a few symbols on the wall. With a flash, the space was suddenly transformed into a study, with books piled high on desks and bookshelves looming yards overhead.

"It feels like longer," the wizard answered, rubbing the back of his head, "Do you have what I asked?"

"Of course," the witch responded, smiling, "But time travel isn't easy. You're okay with what I got?"

"I'll make do," Peppermint replied.

The woman glanced over at his face, pointing at him. "Nice eyepatch. New fashion trend?"

"Nightospheric-Demon chic has always been the thing," the wizard answered, striking a flamboyant pose.

She chuckled, then moved her gaze over to Peppermint's partner. "Why don't you introduce your friend over there?"

Peppermint glanced over to Braco, who was standing awkwardly in the corner of the room and not looking happy. "Oh, of course. My apologies, darling," he said, stepping over to the brunette. Braco rolled his big, cyan eyes. "This is Braco, my fiancee."

"Wow, Peps. Didn't think you were going to lean that way."

"Are you kidding me? I think everyone expected that," the prince said, blushing slightly.

"Oh, right. I remember that...affair...you had with Death."

Braco looked over at the taller man, his face contorted into one of shock and disgust. "You dated Death?!"

"Well, yes, but it was only for a short time…"

"So you made out with _Death_?!" the brunette gaped.

"Um, no, we didn't quite get that far. And it's hard to do that when your partner is a skull..."

"What else are you not telling me?! Did you do Tier Fifteen with some demon?"

"I don't think so…"

"Oh my Glob, you totally did."

"Well, it's hard to remember when you've been around for centuries."

"You'd think you'd remember something like that! You haven't even done that with me!"

"We haven't?"

"No, we haven't."

The prince paused, his face blank. "I thought we did."

"Unbelievable."

Avedelis snickered. "You two are so perfect for each other."

"Shut up!" the two fired back in unison.

She smiled puckishly, then said, "I'm sure you want to see her?" When she received a nod in reply, she waved her hand towards a door in the back of the room.

When the door swung open, creaking ominously, light bled out into the dark room. They were greeted with the anguished screeches of caged animals, the sounds of metal bars clattering, and the wafting stench of blood. Braco shivered from head to toe, obviously unnerved. Peppermint noticed, wrapping an arm around the smaller man. To his surprise, Braco did not resist, and instead moved into his touch.

Avedelis stepped forward, her dress long and making her appear as if she was gliding across the stone. The princes followed cautiously, the brunette glancing into the cages and finding horrible creatures staring at him with glassy eyes.

They made it to the far corner of the room, where a large cage was looming above them. "Here she is," the witch mumbled, tugging on the cloth covering the box.

A girl was sitting inside, wearing a brown tunic and wrapped in a burgundy blanket. Her hair was long, almost impossibly so, dirty blond and shiny. Despite her sad situation, her eyes were blazing.

"This is her?" Braco murmured, "She doesn't look that different from us."

"Well, humans are very similar to us," Avedelis answered.

Peppermint walked up to the cage, stooping and making eye contact with the girl. She narrowed her blue eyes, staring the prince down as if she wasn't afraid in the slightest. Her gaze just slightly unnerved the wizard, so he stood, facing Avedelis. "Do you have a rune circle I can borrow?" he asked.

"Of course," she answered, "but that's meant for complicated teleportation spells. I didn't know that you knew that magic."

"I've always known that. I've just never used it in front of you."

"On second thought," Braco interrupted quickly, seizing the taller man's arm before he could leave, "We'll just send the money over with our servants." When Peppermint shot him a bewildered look, he retaliated with a firm look, as if silently scolding his fiancee for using complicated magic in his condition.

"Are you sure? That might take a lot more effort."

"We're sure," the brunette responded. Peppermint growled.

"Alright, but I'd like my payment in a week," Avedelis mumbled, fiddling with a keyring and unlocking the cage. The human stepped forward, the frustrated look on her face unwavering.

"Hello, m'lady. My name is Prince Peppermint of the Candy Kingdom, and this is Braco, my partner," the albino said, bowing to the girl, "We'll be escorting you to your new owner, a wonderful young man named Finn." Braco bowed as well, but his movements seemed rigid.

"Hi," the teenager responded.

"You can talk?" the blue-eyed man asked, surprised.

"Yes, I can," she replied, crossing her arms, "and I would like to go home."

The two princes glanced at each other, exchanging silent words. "Well, come with us," Peppermint said, beckoning the woman forward. She sighed under her breath, stepping over to their side. She seemed dejected. "Thanks again, Avedelis," the prince said, smiling.

"No problem, Peps. If you ever need anything, just stop by," she responded, waving them goodbye. With that, the three left the building, stepping back out into the crowded street.

"So, what's your name?" Peppermint asked the girl as they walked down the pathway.

"Bonnie," was the reply.

"Lovely name," Braco chimed in. It was painfully obvious that the two men were very uncomfortable around her.

"So, you two are dating?" she suddenly asked.

"Um, yes," Peppermint said, a bit taken aback by the question.

"And you are a wizard?"

"Yes, I am."

"There's no such thing as magic," she said firmly, crossing your arms, "You're misinterpreting scientific reactions and chemical energy as 'spells.'"

That statement is what really shocked the prince. "Excuse me? Magic does exist."

"No, it doesn't."

The wizard fought the urge to glare, instead choosing to smile, a strained gesture. "Really? Then how come I can do this?" he asked, snapping his fingers. A small ball of blue fire erupted in his palm, crackling and its flames licking the fabric of his red glove.

"You're adjusting the oxygen levels of the air, and it's reacting with chemicals inside your glove," Bonnie answered matter-of-factly.

Peppermint frowned, extinguishing the flame. "What about this?" He flicked his wrist, and a small mouse appeared between his fingers. The rodent squealed, thrashing around in his grasp, and he cocked an eyebrow in victory.

"Party tricks. You could have been hiding the mouse in your sleeve or pocket."

The prince's crimson eye narrowed. Maybe if he summoned an enormous black dragon, she would believe him. However, Braco predicted his actions, closing his hand around the other and intertwining their fingers. "He'll show you some more magic later on," the brunette said dismissively.

As the sun set low on the horizon, they checked into a motel on the outskirts of the island. "You can sleep over here," Peppermint said to the girl, patting the beat-up couch.

Bonnie appeared unamused as she sat on the cushions, laying down and facing away from the prince. "Alright, goodnight," the albino muttered, closing the door leading into the other bedroom behind him. He sighed, ripping at his suit and cloak and tossing the clothes aside.

Braco was laying on the bed, nose deep into a book labeled Mind Games. Peppermint blushed, noticing that the smaller man was only clad in plain, flattering black boxers.

The brunette dropped his book, glancing over at the other. "What."

"You look good," the wizard murmured, his eyes trailing over the other's chest.

"Pshh," Braco mumbled, rolling over on his other side.

Peppermint, after stripping to his undershirt and pants, climbed into the bed. The mattress was smaller than the one in the castle, so the two were pressed against each other like the two bread slices in a sandwich. Braco pushed away from the other in protest, but Peppermint wrapped his arms around the other's waist, pulling him closer. "I miss you," the prince whispered.

"You lied to me, Peppermint. It's gonna take a while for me to forgive you," the brunette answered, "I don't want you to hide things from me anymore. I don't want you suffering because of me."

"From now on, I'm an open book," he replied, touching his forehead to the other's.

"Do you mean it?"

"Yeah."

Braco furrowed his brow in thought. "Okay," he finally replied.

Peppermint smiled, tilting his head forward just slightly and brushing his lips against Braco's. The brunette hummed in content, pressing his own against the other's. Their kiss was soft, passionate, and welcoming, each movement carefully thought out. The albino moved a milky white hand up to the other's hair, running his fingers over the other's sugar crystals.

When they parted, the red-eyed man smiled. "I like this new you."

"What do you mean?"

"Assertive. Confident. Not letting anyone tell you who's boss," he responded, kissing the shorter's fingertips, "It's sexy."

Braco smirked, running his hand over the smooth skin of the wizard's back. "How do you know that that hasn't been me the whole time?" The prince chuckled in response.

Then, to his shock, his vision went completely black.

Red flames bled into the midnight, illuminating two coal-black eyes that sported blazing green pupils. "Welcome, Prince Peppermint," a deep, grating voice welcomed.

"And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" the wizard responded, narrowing his eye.

"I'm sure you have heard of me."

"Very specific answer there."

The creature chuckled. "I am Ogdoad."

Peppermint frowned. "Ah, right. You were the one who cursed Braco."

"Yes, and now I have cursed you. How's that going for you, by the way?"

"All fine and dandy, yes-sir-ee."

"I am not one to appreciate sarcasm."

The prince rolled his eye. "Sheesh."

"I take it that you were not expecting this magnitude of power to come from someone like me."

"Unfortunately, most of the curse's power is not yours to begin with."

The demon seemed taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Taking over a human like Braco is easy, who possesses almost no demonic power," the wizard continued, crossing his arms, "You only need a small amount of energy to enforce the curse. However, your spell has another element inside of it.

"You are a demon that feeds off the energy of others. You're like a leech. If your curse is somehow transferred, as I have done, it adapts. Unfortunately, that small amount of power you used isn't enough to overpower me. So, the curse is slowly eating away at my demonic energy. Whenever I use magic, my energy drops, and the curse thus has to begin to consume my life energy, which is why the veins appear on my external form." He paused to stare into the teal pupils of the other. "Am I correct?"

"Well done, prince," the demon said, "but how much energy do you think you possess?"

"Enough to last me long enough to kick your butt."

"Very mature."

"I'm only a few centuries old, Ogdoad, you have to expect that I still find humor in butt jokes."

"I will admit that they are rather funny."

Peppermint grinned. "Anyway, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to check in on you, see how well you were holding up. You're taking this surprisingly well. However, I'm sure you will admit that you are weakening."

"I only call myself weak when I can't stand."

Ogdoad's eyes narrowed sinisterly. "That can be arranged," he whispered, "Until we meet again, Prince Peppermint." The blank space erupted into green flame.

He blacked out again, and when he woke, he was back in the bedroom, Braco leaning over him and appearing distressed. "Peppermint!" he gasped.

The prince growled in a frighteningly feral manner, moving to sit up. The brunette pushed him down, his expression concerned and firm. "No, stop trying to move," he commanded, "You just passed out."

Peppermint tilted his head back, groaning. His feet and hands felt like molten lead, and he could feel the veins crawling down his face and neck. This time, however, they continued down, slithering over his shoulders and creeping down his arms. Braco's brow furrowed as he bit his lip. "It looks bad. Are you in pain?"

"No," the prince wheezed, mustering up a smile.

"Stop lying," Braco commanded, "Can you heal yourself?"

"Yes," he replied.

"I told you to stop lying."

Peppermint sighed. "Just help me already," he murmured.

Braco reached down into the knapsack he had brought with him, removing a vial of clear liquid. He poured some on his fingers. Peppermint could not restrain a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. "Stop. That's not happening yet," the brunette sputtered, blushing and rubbing his hands over the veins.

The albino breathed a low, slow sigh of relief as he felt the curse recede. "Ogdoad's getting stronger," he mumbled.

"I know," Braco whispered, leaning over to peck the other on the cheek, "Then you just have to get stronger too."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thanks for putting up with my odd story thus far.**

 **The term "Adam" that Peppermint uses is related to "Code Adam", a phrase that department stores use to alert of a missing child without raising panic.**

 **Next chapter, expect Marceline, Peace Master, and the Council once again. It may take a little while to come out, so bear with me whilst I juggle my schoolwork.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Ci**


	5. MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR

Hello, friends, and thank you for reading "Veins of Black!"

If you all haven't noticed, I haven't updated this in a while. This does not mean I'm dead! In fact, Chapter 5 is in production right now.

I've been swamped with schoolwork and other obligations, and this leads to less time available to write. Don't worry - Ch. 5 will be uploaded soon!

I'm taking this opportunity to:

A. Apologize for my lack of updating

B. Ask what you all would like to see from this fanfiction.

I have the basic story already outlined out, but I'd like to get your opinions on what you want to see more or less of. Want more Peace Master or Marceline? Tone down the shippy stuff? Comment your thoughts below! I'd like to make this story the best it can be and I need your feedback to do so.

Thanks a bunch! Expect the next chapter in less than a week.

~ Ci


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